Solanki wants Surrey to end season on a high

Vikram Solanki is confident Surrey can end a difficult season on a high note - boosted by Saturday's Friends Life Twenty20 finals experience and the arrival of the world's leading batsman. Hashim Amla, who tops the ratings in both Test and one-day international cricket, has signed for Surrey until the end of the season and he will be available for all six of their remaining LV County Championship games.

Surrey are fighting to avoid relegation from Division One but Solanki is hopeful that some Twenty20 success will act as the perfect fillip as they head back into the County Championship. The 37-year-old believes Amla can have the same inspirational impact at Surrey as Ricky Ponting had earlier in the season.

"Ricky Ponting was simply outstanding as a player, as a batsman and as a professional. He really did set the example," he said. "It was wonderful to have him around. I would say it was one of the highlights of my career to have played with Ricky Ponting. And now we have Hashim, it almost seems to be getting better. He is a consistent run-scorer and we have heard wonderful things about him as a person. Hashim is renowned for his work ethic within the game and he will bring those qualities. We have a good chunk of Championship games where we can make an impact on that table.

"T20 finals day is the biggest day in domestic cricket," he added. "And I have had 20 years playing professional cricket and I have never experienced it. I really hope it is a successful one for us. I can see from the level of support we have had exactly what it means to the club. For the young guys in the squad to experience a big day like this, I know how formative that experience will be."

Surrey will be without Amla and Kevin Pietersen for their semi-final against Hampshire and a potential final against either Northamptonshire or Essex. But they will have England bowler Jade Dernbach, who was dropped from the last national one-day squad but feels like he has rediscovered his game. Solanki he is convinced that a triumphant day at Edgbaston on Saturday can be the catalyst to a strong end to the season.

"It is obviously disappointing to be dropped when you have been in the national set-up. You can fall into the trap of feeling sorry for yourself but it is about how quickly you bounce back. International cricket is an unforgiving environment. I was very motivated to come back to Surrey and do well. I have honed my skills, practised my variation and my death bowling. I am in a good frame of mind."

Dernbach's positive mindset is mirrored throughout the squad, which is something he credits new coach Alec Stewart for instilling in the players.

"It was a very difficult start to the year but the Twenty20 came at a perfect time, to break from the first half of the season," Dernbach said. "That is when we lost Chris Adams and Ian Salisbury (as coaches) but since Stewey came in there has been a whole new feel. The boys have been lifted. Winning is a habit and we have got into that habit. If we end up winning a trophy on Saturday it will boost the boys' confidence for the last six weeks. If we get on a roll and shoot up the table, then the whole season looks different. That is the mindset we are in."